A Comedian’s Simple Tips for Connecting With Autistic Kids

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A Comedian’s Simple Tips for Connecting With Autistic Kids

Rami Niemi

Noah Britton is one-fourth of the comedy troupe Asperger’s Are Us, the subject of a new documentary coming to Netflix later this year. He took time from his comedy tour to offer some tips on how to relate to (and laugh with) kids on the autism spectrum.

Do: Define the Goal

“If you want to teach us to tie our shoes,” Britton says, “it doesn’t help to watch you do it.” Instead, try: “Get the laces to not fall on the ground when you’re walking.”

Don't: Use Abstract Commands

“Behave yourself” is meaningless. Make your instructions specific: “Keep your voice down until we leave the theater.”

Do: Ask What’s Bothering Them

Meltdowns don’t have to be mysterious. The cause is usually a sensory trigger you can address. Is it the lights? A noise? A tag on a stranger’s shirt? Ask.

Do: Watch Airplane! With Them

Britton watched the classic comedy for the first time when he was 6, and it changed his life. “I’m so grateful for that movie,” he says. “It’s very autistic in the way it approaches comedy.” The literal wordplay of “Don’t call me Shirley”? Aspie all the way.